A CARDIOLOGIST has warned that a shortage of a common medicine could be putting thousands of people’s lives at risk.
Doctor Louis Ioannou, who works at the Evangelismos Clinic in Paphos, yesterday told the Mail that the shortage of warfarin, “seems to be quite major”.
Warfarin is an anticoagulant medication that is administered orally or, very rarely, by injection.
It is prescribed to people with an increased tendency for thrombosis or as prophylaxis in those individuals who have already formed a blood clot which required treatment. This can help prevent formation of future blood clots and help reduce the risk of embolism. Common clinical indications for warfarin use are atrial fibrillation, artificial heart valves, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
Ioannou estimated that several thousand people are taking it across the island, adding that it was freely available a couple of years ago in both the private and public sectors.
“A while ago, I noticed that its availability had become limited in the private sector and some private pharmacies had to get their supply from government pharmacies, who had a certain amount of stock,” the cardiologist stated. “The situation went on for over a year, and in the last month or so, it has become practically impossible for private sector pharmacies to receive any supplies at all, with patients sent to government pharmacies in general hospitals. This is often extremely inconvenient as it involves many hours queing up, waiting to be served.”
Additionally, state pharmacies are not open 24 hours a day, so what would happen if someone falls ill during the night?
Ioannou also said the problem was now being seen in the town’s General Hospital. “One of my patients was recently told that the hospital had run out of warfarin and would not be receiving any further supplies for a few days.”
The secretary-general of the Cyprus Pharmaceutical Society attributed the shortage to the recent drop in the price of all medicines. “Warfarin is very cheap, with the importers deciding to bring in smaller quantities,” said Pavlos Varelias. He added that the drug is only distributed to the government sector, who then allocate a specific amount to private pharmacies.
Ioannou added that the shortages are not simply limited to Paphos, with several of his colleagues across the island also encountering a lack of supply. “Some are advising their patients to obtain the medicine from the north,” he said.
“I have heard rumours that the shortage has been caused by a lack of the raw material used in the drug’s manufacture, and I am very worried about the situation. If somebody prescribed the drug stops taking it, even for a few days, the effect would be similar to asking a diabetic to stop taking insulin. It is life-threatening.”
